Can lose weight, but not fat - Part 2

[Baldur2630]

In this country, GPs are restricted for which blood analysis tests they are allowed to order. The new doctor took blood on Monday and she called me today to collect the results. She has referred me to an endocrinologist and I have an appointment for tomorrow.

So far here are the relevant (I hope) details I have so far. (Everything is in Dutch, I translate what I can, but you can probably work out what is what). To ensure complete confusion they use different units for different things, so you would have to convert if necessary. The values which were marked as 'outside the normal range' I have highlighted in red.

Kidney Functions
Creatine - 0.97 mg/dL
e-GFR (CKD-EPI - 77 ml/min/1.73m[SUP]2[/SUP]
Urea - 48.2 mg/dL
Uric Acid - 6.4 mg/dL

Electrolytes
Sodium - 135 nmol/L
Potassium - 4.57 nmol/L
Chloride - 96 nmol/L
Bicarbonate - 26 nmol/L
Calcium - 2.38 nmol/L

Lipids
Cholestrol Total - 220 mg/dL
HDL-Cholestrol - 64 mg/dL
non-HDL-Cholestrol - 156 mg/dL
Ratio tot.chol.HDL-chol - 3.44 mg/mg
LDL Cholestrol calculated - 139 mg/dL
Triglycerides 85 mg/dL

Liver & Gall
GOT (AST) - 16 U/L
GPT (ALT) - 19 U/L
Gamma-GT - 20 U/L
Alkaline Phophatase - 84 U/L
LDH - 171 U/L

Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glucose - 87 mg/dL

Inflammation
CRP - 0.8 mg/L

Vitamins
25-OH-Vitamin D - 28.8 mg/mL

Thyroid
TSH - 1.62 mU/L
FT4 - 17.5 pmol/L
FT3 - not done because TSH/FT4 is normal RIZIV-restriction

Gonads
FSH - 4.1 U/L
LH - 3.8 U/L
Estradiol - 9 ng/L
Progesterol - <0.2 µg/L
Prolactin 4.5 µg/L
Testosterone - 13.3 nmol/L
testost.bind.globulin - 123.6 nmol/L
Free Testosterone calculated - 0.0978 nmol/L

Adrenal
Cortisol avond - 8.4 µg/L

Tumor Markers
Prostate spec antigen 3.34 µg/L

Does this shed any light on the problem? I'll post what the endocrinologist has to say / do as soon as I have some info.

 

[halfwit]

I have a feeling that your endo appointment is going to shed some serious light on your problem given that miniscule free testosterone value. Your total test isn't the greatest either, but as it's still in range you may not get much input on it.

I would advise bringing up quality of life with the doctor, NOT discussing ANYTHING related to physique or fat loss. I'd imagine with numbers like those you're probably not feeling the greatest, so use that as your segway into discussing what you're looking for. Fat loss will likely follow.

My .02c

 

[3J]

looks like you have some nutrition deficiencies too.... your lipids need help too..

a clean diet will help all that out fairly quickly..

but yea, looks like youre a strong candidate for hrt

 

[Baldur2630]

I also have a take on this.

For the past 12 months I've been on a high protein diet (2gm/kg) and pushing myself to the limit to increase my strength and lifts, with only moderate success. In the past few months, my lifts have actually got less and instead of gaining muscle, I've gained fat. All this because my original doctors never ordered a Free Testosterone

This would mean that all that protein I've been taking isn't beining utilized, thus, my kidneys are working overtime, trying to get rid of the excess protein and this has caused my Urea to go up along with my cholesterol.

I'll wait to see what the endocrinologist has to say, but I'm guessing that he'll write everything off to my age and suggest that I change my diet and do more exercise and all the problems are 'normal for my age'

In any case, I'm going to drop the high protein diet for a few weeks, drink even more water and whether or not he recommend it, I'll start on the testosterone.

What would you suggest, 200 mg per week or what? I have little faith in the outcome of today's visit to the quack, but I'll keep you posted.

 

[3J]

standard trt dosages are from 100-200mg a week

 

[Baldur2630]

Ok, thanks. Now for the $64,000 question: -

How long will it take before I start to feel some REAL results? For example, starting to get a bit of my libido back? Are we looking at weeks, months or years?

 

[3J]

Ok, thanks. Now for the $64,000 question: -

How long will it take before I start to feel some REAL results? For example, starting to get a bit of my libido back? Are we looking at weeks, months or years?

it takes about 3-4 weeks for the initial results.. 6-12 months for full results.. libidio is the first thing you should feel

 

[Baldur2630]

I shall look forward to that happy day! I'll try to keep this thread updated to benefit others.

 

[Baldur2630]

I took a shot of 200 mg testosterone Cypionate, yesterday. Last night I slept like a baby - first time for months. Today, I feel Ike a bit of the fog has lifted. Some of the aches and pains are better. I can't say I feel good, but it's a step in the right direction! Libido is still at zero, but I never expected a magic bullet. I think if I had been diagnosed much earlier, I would have expected quicker results, but having been left to 'vegetate' for >3 years, I expect it will take much longer o put it right.

 

[Baldur2630]

I just came back from the endocrinologist. The only extra thing that I got out of the blood test is that my IGF-1 is 132 µg/L.

This lab he uses measures Free Testosterone as a % came out at 15.8 (Range 24.3-72.1). He carefully explained that my free testosterone was a bit lower, but that the law forbids him to prescribe testosterone injections because I'm "in a grey area". However he magnaimously suggested that he could prescribe Sustanon, but I would have to pay for it myself.

What did he prescribe? 5 vials of 1 ml each, 250 mg/ml Sustanon, with instructions to inject this ONCE PER MONTH. I almost laughed, but I choked it back. It's really what I expected from him.

The only remaining question is which is best Test Cyp, Test Enan or Sustanol?

I have another appointment in MARCH when he will take another blood sample and see if it's working!